DATE: August 9, 1834

TOWN: Philadelphia

SOURCE: Saturday Courier

NEW GOLD COIN

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, August 2d, 1834. 

The annexed letter will enable the public readily to distinguish the new from the old [gold] coins. As the date could not by law, be altered, but the cap and motto might be legally omitted, and would serve plainly to distinguish the new impression, that course has been adopted at the mint till the commencement of the next year, when the motto will probably be restored, and the date of the new year, instead of the omission, of the motto, will be found sufficient to indicate the change in the coin.

Mint of the United States Philadelphia, 1st Oct., 1834.

SIR--I have the honor to inform the Department, that the coinage of Gold, according to the new ratio of gold to silver, commenced this morning, being the earliest day permitted by the provisions of the act.

In making this communication, it may be satisfactory to recur to the peculiarities by which the new gold coins are to be distinguished from those of former issues. They are the following: --

On the face, the new coins will be readily distinguished by a head of Liberty disencumbered of a cap.

On the reverse, the surplus motto, "E Pluribus Unum,: which for many years has occupied a portion of the disk above the figure of the Eagle, is now omitted.

These changes, independent of the facility to be derived from them in distinguishing the future from the past emissions of our gold coins, are recommended by a nearer adherence to the provisions of the law, as well as by the rules of taste and classic authority. The views, in these respects, presented in my communication of the 9th ult., having met your approbation, will, I doubt not, be sustained by the judgment of the public.

In regard to the omission of the motto above referred to, the same improvement was introduced in the quarter dollar in 1831; the subject having, by communication of the 28th January , of that year, been submitted to the President, through the Department, and approved. 

The Eagle of the former issues weighs 270 grains, the Half Eagle 135 grains, and the Quarter 67 1/2 grains. The Eagle, under the present law, will weigh 258 grains, the Half Eagle 129 grains, and the Quarter 64 1/2 grains. These weights are recited, because desirable to be kept in mind, rather than as affording a further criterion of distinction between the two classes of coins--since an inspection, much more cursory than that of weighing, will distinguish them by the preceding characteristics.

The Eagle and Half Eagle of the new coinage will be less in diameter than those of the former emissions, and that in a greater proportion than the diminution of weight would indicate. This, however, though a decided amendment in our coinage, is of less value as a distinctive mark, since the comparison would require the presence of coin of both classes.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant.

SAMUEL MOORE,  Director of the Mint

HON. LEVI WOODBURY, Secretary of the Treasury.

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